Jakus the Argonian
by jakusthegamer
Summary: The great story of many heroes, but mostly Jakus.
1. Chapter 1: It begins

**Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to The Elder Scrolls, I just own my characters.**

"Where am I?" the child questioned. A sack covered his face, making it hard to see. All he could hear was the sound of wooden wheels rolling on the ground.

"Quiet back there!" yelled a man. He sounded old, about 40.

"So, what's the deal with the kids?" said another man. This one sounded younger.

"They're to be brought to Skyrim in Windhelm." said the old man.

"I don't like the slave trade." The young man said. He paused for a moment. "I guess there's nothing we can really do. Dunmer are not very fun to anger, and they hate when people mess with their slaves."

"I make fifty septims for every child we bring to them. The coin feeds my children. If that means that a bunch of lizards are put under a Dunmer's foot, then I don't care." said the old man.

"What if we let a few go? I mean, they're just kids." said the young man, feeling pity for the children.

"We could, but the Dunmer would most likely find out." said the old man.

"Our quota is 5 a month, we have 6. Why not let one go?" the young man said.

"And where would they go? They're kids, hundreds of miles from Black Marsh, with nowhere to go." the old man stated.

"I'll take one with me. Maybe they'll be able to do something about this filthy business!" said the young man.

"Fine, grab one from the front and hide it. But be forewarned, if you get caught, don't come crawling to me for help." said the old man.

The child heard the man reaching back to grab one of the children. He then felt a hand grab his shirt. He pulled the child up and into his lap. "Here, let me take that sack off. I wanna see the face of my new friend."

The man pulled the sack from the child's face, revealing a cute little Argonian boy. The child looked scared, afraid of what the new face would do to him. "Please don't hurt me." The boy said, a tear rolling down his face.


	2. Chapter 2: Shinko

**Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to The Elder Scrolls, I just own my characters.**

The face the Argonian boy saw was rugged, but warm. The man he saw before him looked like a caring person. "Don't worry, I'm not going to hurt you." said the man. "What's your name?"

"J..J…Jakus…. My name is Jakus…" said the child, hesitant to answer. He was remembering the events that had passed only three days ago. It was a nice Dunmer who he remembered. He was nice, treating the kids like his own, until that day. The Dunmer betrayed their trust and gave them to traders. They went from person to person all because of that Dunmer. It only seemed right that he was hesitant to trust a new face.

"I like that name. It has a nice ring to it. I feel like I should tell you mine, seeing as you'll be living with me. My name is Shinko. I'm a Nord straight from Skyrim." said the man, trying to gain the young boy's trust.

"Nord? What's a Nord?" asked the boy.

"I see they didn't teach you of the other races did they?" asked the man.

"I guess not…" said the boy, starting to get a smile. He felt comfortable near Shinko.

"It's gonna be a long ride till we get to Skyrim, so I packed a few snacks… Do you like sweet rolls?" asked the man, pulling out a bag from his tunic. "I'll even let you have some of my wine if you'd like." he said with a smile.

"What about my friends?" asked Jakus.

"They'll be given away to Dunmer. They'll be workers for them at the Windhelm docks. Some will eventually be given their freedom." Shinko said. "I would free all of you, but the Dunmer are cruel to all, killing anyone who messes with their slaves."

"Then why free me?" asked Jakus.

"I would feel horrible if you all became slaves. I feel that, if one of you were freed, you'd be able to stop slave trading all together… Understand?" asked Shinko.

"Yeah… Maybe I can stop the slave trading… I'll miss my family though." said Jakus.

"I'll be your new family." said Shinko.

The cart suddenly stopped. "Time to feed the kids." said the old man.


	3. Chapter 3: Salvation

**Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to The Elder Scrolls, or their characters, I just own my own characters.**

Snow, something Argonians don't normally see, was now falling all over Jakus. He felt happy, even under these circumstances. His joy would not last long however.

As the cart got closer to Windhelm, the snow got thicker and faster. "Here." said Shinko, handing Jakus a cowl. "It'll protect your face from the snow." Jakus put the cowl over his head, and pulled up his shirt to cover his face. He then moved closer to Shinko for warmth. Shinko put his arm over Jakus, trying to keep him warm.

"Seams the kid's takin' a liking to yah." said the old man. "Well, looks like we'll be at the docks in just a few minutes. Sorry that you'll have to see the other kids taken away, but this is the world we live in. It's a cruel world, a cruel world without forgiveness." he said with a bitter taste. Jakus heard how he said this, and felt the old man's lower hate for trading slaves.

The snow started to get even thicker, indicating that they were much closer to their destination. Windhelm, home of the High King of Skyrim. Shinko was excited to be back in his home land, but Jakus was afraid of his future in this new land. Skyrim and Black Marsh are completely different, and he was right to be skeptical.

As they entered the area of Windhelm, a caravan began to move towards them. "Hey! The trade is at the White River dock, make sure to have the kids ready when you get there!" yelled the driver of the other caravan.

"Alright!" yelled Shinko in confirmation. "I'm gonna need you to get down and hide under this blanket." Shinko told Jakus, handing him a blanket. Jakus sat down next to Shinko and covered himself in the warm blanket.

They went straight to the dock and got ready to give the kids away. Jakus didn't uncover himself, as to spare himself of what he would see. But, what he heard was worse than anything he could ever imagine: children crying, the cracks of whips, and Dunmer laughs. The atrocities he heard made him want to cry as he spoke these words, "No matter what it takes, I will make them pay. Soon, the Argonians will be dominant of the Dunmer. I will one day lead my people to salvation."


	4. Chapter 4: Getting Situated

**Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to any Elder Scrolls characters, just the ones that I make myself. (But some in game characters may make appearances)**

"Well, here we are, home sweet home." said Shinko, closing the front door of his home. His home was not one of perfection, that was for sure.

"I like it!" said Jakus. His old home was just mud and sticks, so this was definitely an improvement.

"Really, it looks like a dump to me... Even smells like one." he said laughingly.

Jakus sat on the floor, ready to hear any of the rules he would have to follow. "Anything I should know?" he asked.

"Hmmm, I only have a few rules for yah: one, don't stay up late; two, keep clean; and three, don't eat anything without asking first." he said, trying to make his small rules clear.

"Is that all?" asked Jakus, surprised at how freely he'd be living. "So where do I sleep?"

"I'll make you cot next to my bed. It'll be temporary, until I can make you your own bed." Shinko said, stretching his arms as he yawned. "Unless you want to share the bed? It's big, so I won't mind. Plus softer."

"Sharing sounds fine. I get scared at night, so I'd rather sleep close to someone." Jakus said, remembering his fear of the dark. He was only 8 years old, so he wasn't ashamed.

A few hours had passed, and dinner was ready. "Supper time kid!" yelled Shinko yo Jakus. The smell of meat and bread flowed through the house, making it smell a lot better.

"Smells good." Jakus said, admiring the food before him. He sat down, getting ready to dig in. "Thank Sithis, I was starving!"

Shinko disregarded what Jakus said, forgetting that Argonians praised the void instead of any of the nine divines. "I made this specially for you." Shinko said, grabbing a plate of boiled fish.

Jakus' face lit up with joy at the sight of fish. "I love fish!" he yelled, happier than ever. Shinko sat the plate down, and no sooner than it had appeared, it was gone.

"I can tell that yah do." Shinko said, watching Jakus wipe food off his face. Jakus started to laugh, and so did Shinko. They could tell that they were going to be good friends.

It was finally time for bed. Jakus was wearing the clothes he was freed in, and Shinko had his pajamas on. They both got into bed. Shinko told Jakus to sleep at the foot, as to not make it weird.

"Night kid. We got a big day tomorrow, so make sure to get plenty of sleep." Shinko told Jakus. He was planning on taking Jakus out to chop wood to make him a bed, so he'd need Jakus at full strength. It was was funny, he only truly met the kid today, but he felt like he was a new dad to him. 'Haha, It's like I have a kid of my own.' he thought to himself. 'Making him food, letting him sleep with me cuz he's scared... Mom would be proud of me, I know she would.'

"Night..." Jakus said, with a sudden bout of sadness. Tonight was going to be a long one. The last time he slept was in that wretched cart, and he hadn't missed it at all. What he did miss, was his home.


	5. Chapter 5: Belethor

**Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to any Elder Scrolls characters, just the ones that I make myself. (But some in game characters may make appearances)**

When morning rolled around all seemed right. Jakus was still sleeping, and Shinko was making him breakfast. They were like a regular family.

"I hope he likes beef steak for breakfast.." Shinko said to himself.

As soon as he finished, he heard a rustling in his room. He knew it was Jakus, ready to eat. He sat the table in preparation of **The Beast With a Thousand Stomachs **to get there.

"Breakfast is ready!" he yelled upstairs. "Get it while it's hot!"

Out on the wooden table laid: Steak, eggs, milk, and fresh bread. It was all set up for the two of them like a feast for two kings. "Oh boy, I can't wait to dig in!" yelled Jakus as he ran down the stairs in his dirty rags.

"Good, you'll need it for energy. We're going out to do a lot: getting you new clothes, getting wood to make you a bed, and hunting for toys." Shinko told him, trying to get his spirits higher than they had ever been in his short Argonian life.

"New clothes? Really?" Jakus asked in his happiest tone of voice. He'd always worn rags, he had never worn anything better.

"Yep!" Shinko confirmed. "We don't want you wearing the same thing forever do we?"

Jakus sat down, hopping with energy already, and began to eat the meal before him. He began to feel a sense of warmth, warmth that only a family can bring.

Right after breakfast they headed out the door into town. First to Belethor's trade goods to get Jakus new clothes and bedding. The guard outside seemed tough, but gave Jakus a flower to show him that he meant no harm to the young Argonian.

As they entered, a man jumped up and rushed towards them. "Welcome to Belethor's trade goods, can I help you with anything. Maybe you'd be interested in a brand new Breton made chair?" the man said in excitement. "Well hello there, what a cute little child! What's your name big man?" he asked Jakus, admiring how cute he was.

"I'm Jakus." he said, happy to meet someone new.

"What a tough name, I wouldn't want to get in a tussle with you!" he said, playing of course.

"We need to get Jakus here some new clothes. We also need a bed sheet and cover." Shinko said, telling Belethor straight up what he needed.

"Of course!" said Belethor, rushing to get what they needed. "So, where'd the kid come from?"

"I freed him from slavery. Figured I'd take care of him. It's funny, it's like he's my own son… If I had one." Shinko said.

A moment of silence followed Shinko's statement. Belethor took advantage of the silence and got all that they needed. He even grabbed a small piece of candy for Jakus. "Here you are good sir, a blanket, sheet, and a few pillows!" he said as he placed everything on the counter. "I also got the kid a piece of taffy!" he said as he handed Jakus the candy.

Jakus didn't know what taffy was, but he was about to find out. He immediately tossed it in his mouth and chomped down. As soon as he bit down, a light of pure passion fell over his face. "Mmmmmm, shis ish sho good!" he said, trying to speak with the candy keeping him from speaking right.

"Ha ha ha! Kid's never known the delight of taffy has he?" Belethor said with amusement at the boy's struggle to speak.

"What about the clothes?" asked Shinko.

"Riiight!" Belethor said, realising his mistake. "What color?" he asked, pulling down a crate from the shelf above the shop counter.

"Red!" said Jakus, excited to shed the rags he was wearing. He was right to be excited, the rags he had on were covered in mud and blood from the cart he traveled in for a month. He was jumping for joy, the cutest thing Shinko and Belethor had ever seen. His smile was so big that no one would try and stop it. "I can't wait to put it on… After I wash of course." he said, laughing at the end.

"After we get the lumber for your bed. I'm sure you'll get even dirtier when we go chopping." Shinko said after putting fifty-two septims on the counter. "I hope this is enough."

"Since I like yah, I'll let yah keep ten of your coin. Call it a welcome home gift for the kid." Belethor said with a smile. He then handed everything to Shinko, making sure to put the clothes on top, along with some more taffy for Jakus.

After getting what they needed from Belethor, they went home and left the supplies. Then they headed to the woodland area near their home. They scouted a good tree and set forth to chop it down.

"We only need a little for the bed, the rest can be used for firewood." Shinko told Jakus as he struck the tree with his axe. The tree then fell with a mighty crash.

"I can't wait to get home and get to bed. I'm just so tired." Jakus said, yawning after.

After they chopped the wood and made the bed, they went straight home and went to bed. It had been a long day for them, and they deserved the sleep.


	6. Chapter 6: Lydia

**Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to any Elder Scrolls characters, just the ones that I make myself. (But some in game characters may make appearances)**

*knock knock*

Someone was knocking at their door, and they had no idea who it was. Jakus ran to the door, wanting to know who the visitor was. When he opened the door, a tall man stood before him.

"I have a letter for Shinko Romi from Riften." he said as he grabbed the letter from his knapsack at his side. He pulled out the dirty piece of paper and showed it to Shinko, now standing behind Jakus.

"Hmmm..." he said as he started to read the letter. A sudden look of sadness overcame his face. "Jakus... Pack your bags." he said, patting him on the head.

"Where we going?" Jakid asked.

"I'm sorry to bring such horrible news." said the courier, understanding Shinko's grief.

"It's fine... Thank you." Shinko said as he handed the man a few coins. He then shut the door, showing that the conversation was over.

"What's wrong?" Jakus asked, feeling that Shinko was overwhelmed with sadness.

"My mother is dying." he answered. "I'm going to have you stay at a friend of mine. She'll watch over you as I go visit her."

Jakus felt bad for Shinko, he knew the pain of losing those he loved. Jakus grabbed Shinko's leg, hugging it, trying to make him feel better. It worked, but only slightly. "Thanks." he said as he wiped away some tears.

Shinko had left Jakus with a woman named Lydia. She was a tough lass who knew her way around a blade, she was also very beautiful. When he dropped Jakus off, she promised to teach him how to fight.

"You don't have to, but you can try." he told her as he left for Riften. Jakus was only eight, and he doubted that he'd pay attention.

After Shinko left, the two headed toward the woodlands to train. Although she was tough, she couldn't help but be infatuated by Jakus.

As they walked to the woods, Jakus couldn't help but chase the small creatures. "Stop chasing those butterflies and get over here." she told him as she pulled out a dagger from he pocket.

"Okay..." he sighed. He didn't really care to learn about fighting, all he cared about was having fun.

"So, do you know any special fighting skills?" Lydia asked as she handed him the tiny blade.

"My friend Toma once taught me how to use magic." he answered.

"What kind of magic?" she asked as she pondered his magical abilities.

"I learned how to heal myself." he said. "I'm not very good at it though. He also taught me how to make fire in my hands."

"Those are both very good skills. If we can get you to master them, you'll truly be able to handle yourself in battle." Lydia said as she put the dagger she was holding back into her pocket. She knew that she wouldn't need it to train him, as he would most likely become a mage.

"He also taught me to use 4 daggers at once!" Jakus said.

This put a look of wonder on Lydia's face. She had never heard such a thing before. 'Four daggers at once?' she thought, that sounds very different. "How?" she asked.

"Well, I use my tail to hold one, and put another in my mouth. I put the other two in my hands." he answered.

"Demonstrate." she told him, wanting to see it for herself.

Jakus looked around and grabbed 3 sticks. He then placed the dagger in his mouth, wrapped his tail around one stick, and held the other two in his hands. He then took a fighters stance.

"Hmm... I like that you take advantage of having a tail." Lydia stated. "Now, if we can get you to hone your skills, nobody would think to mess with you."

All day they trained, from the time Shinko left, until time for dinner. Jakus may have been a child, but he knew quite a bit about fighting. Lydia was so impressed with his skills, she cooked him three fish for supper.

After dinner, they went to bed. Lydia had been told of Jakus' fear of the dark, so she let him sleep in her bed. He was out within minutes, and so was Lydia. 'Today was was long, but worth it.' Lydia thought to herself as she fell to sleep. 'But tomorrow will be longer.'


	7. Chapter 7: Fighter's Stance

**Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to any Elder Scrolls characters, just the ones that I make myself. (But some in game characters may make appearances)**

_"Foolish child..." the voice said. The voice was dark and rugged. "Argonians will never be free."_

_"What!" yelled the child in frustration. "I'll free all of my people, you'll see!"_

_"Hahahaha!" the voice laughed. "You may try, but you'll only DIE!"_

A flash, and Jakus awoke. He had been dreaming, but of what? He didn't know what the dream was of, all he knew was that it made him very angry.

Lydia felt the child beginning to rise from bed. "What's wrong kid?" she asked. "It's to early for you to wake up."

"I don't know... Just a nightmare." he told her as he laid back down, tugging the cover slightly.

"If you need to talk about it, let me know." she told him as she put her hand on his forehead to check for a fever. She didn't feel a temperature, so she laid her hand back down.

Jakus began to cry, tears flowing from his eyes. "I just want to see my friends again..." he sobbed. Lydia heard this, and felt sorry for the child. She wrapped her arms around him and hugged him. Her hug was gentle, yet firm.

"Hush now, it'll all be okay. You'll see them again, you will." she said, reassuring the child. She didn't want to hear him cry and break her heart. In an effort to comfort him, she began to sing, the beautiful words flowing like gold.

'_Hush little baby don't you cry...' _she sang to him, and made him stop. He felt comfortable with this woman, as though she were his own mother. After a few verses, he fell back to sleep. The rest of the night was calm, with no more nightmares from the mind of the child_. _He slept like a log until morning.

* * *

><p>Morning finally arrived and Jakus was excited. He was ready to learn more about fighting. But when he entered the kitchen, Lydia was still in her sleeping attire. She was sitting down at the table, reading a book. She didn't look like she was ready to go out and train, not in the slightest.<p>

"What's going on?" he asked, puzzled as ever.

"No training today." she answered. "We're going into town today to do some other things. That's why I let you sleep so long."

"Why are we going into town?" Jakus asked, puzzled at the turn of events. He was really hoping to train today.

"To go see Belethor about getting you a few new daggers." she answered, watching as the child's face lit up.

"Coooool!" he squealed as he jumped up and down in excitement. "Woo hoo!"

* * *

><p>As they entered Whiterun, two children ran up to Jakus; a boy and a girl. The boy was Khajiit, his bushy tail following behind him. The girl was an Imperial with hair as brown as mud.<p>

"Hi!" the girl greeted as she stopped. "My names Rashina, wanna play with us?" she asked. Her smile, bright as the sun, made Jakus smile too. Her dress was beautiful, something a princess would want.

"My name's Whiskatar. I am Khajiit, pleased to be meeting you." said the Khajiit boy. His fur was white as the snow around him. He was dressed in a fancy outfit, something only a rich child could afford.

"I...I'm Jakus..." Jakus said as he hid behind Lydia's legs. He was being bashful, keeping to his normality.

"Why are you scared?" the Khajiit asked, scratching his head in confusion.

"Sorry kids, he's new in town." Lydia stated as she raised Jakus onto her shoulders. "So you'll have to excuse his shyness. Well, we'll see you all later, but we have errands to run." and so they left the children and went on their way to Belethor's shop.

* * *

><p>As Lydia and Jakus entered Belethor's shop, a tall man and a child were at the counter. They were both dressed in full black from head to toe. The child, not too much taller than Jakus, was not standing, but sitting upon the floor. The child seemed to be looking at Jakus, of that he was sure. The cloak over the child's face kept Jakus from seeing him, but he was positive that he was looking at him.<p>

"Zekiev!" yelled the tall man at the child. The child quickly moved his head towards the man, revealing to Jakus part of his face. The boy quickly covered himself from Jakus, but Jakus knew what he saw. He saw the skin of a Dunmer, greenish grey.

The Dunmer child quickly rose from the floor and postured himself next to the man. "Sorry sir, just resting for a bit." he said with a whimpering voice. He sounded as though he were afraid of the man.

The man then grabbed the child's arm and quickly moved his own to his chest. In a quick puff of black smoke, they were both gone. Belethor's face, a face of anger, quickly transformed into an emotion of pure surprise. "What the hell?" he said.

"What's wrong?" asked Lydia, concerned about what had just happened. She, not even Jakus, had seen anything like what had just happened. People disappearing into black smoke, that's something that probably never happens in Whiterun, let alone Skyrim itself.

"Those damn Dark Elves didn't pay for their goods! How the hell am I to get enough cash to get another Daedric Bow?" he asked the Gods in an angry tone of voice. "Not to mention the fact that they took enough arrows to take down an army!" He was fuming mad, and Jakus could see this. He had never seen Belethor angry before, he had only seen a nice man giving him candy.

"If this is a bad time we can leave." said Lydia, concerned that Belethor may go on a rampage. She had seen many a man become enraged, and Belethor was a majority.

"Its fine," he assured "I'm just a little ticked. So, whatcha' need?" he asked.

"Well," Lydia began "I need some daggers for the lizard. I think three Iron will do for now." she said as she laid a few Septims on the counter. She and Jakus watched as Belethor took down three Iron daggers from a box on a shelf. Excited to use the daggers, Jakus immediately grabbed them and posed in a fighter's stance.

A sudden shock went across Jakus' face; he was frozen, unable to react to what was happening.

"This…is…the…first…step…towards…your…destiny…" echoed a voice in his head. It sounded as though it were hissing. It frightened the child; he had never heard this voice before.

"Who…who are you?" the child asked the voice.

"I…am…the…void…" it spoke, "I…am…Sithis…"


	8. Chapter 8: Dagger

**Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to any Elder Scrolls characters, just the ones that I make myself. (But some in game characters may make appearances)**

From the outside of Shinko's house you could hear him. He was yelling, screaming as though his life were in danger. He sounded afraid, and downright hysterical. "Aaaaaaaaaaaaaah!" he screamed more. Lydia tried to get his fever down, but nothing was working.

"Jakus, please be alright." Lydia pleaded as she laid a cold washcloth on his head. He didn't show any sign of letting up; and to make it worse he could barely breathe. Lydia was doing everything she could; she even sang to him. She had no idea what was wrong, and to think it all started in Belethor's shop.

"_Look at you, a worthless lizard crying like a damn human babe." rang the voice in Jakus' head. It was familiar to him; he knew he had heard it before._

"What do you want from me?" Jakus cried aloud. This sudden outburst frightening Lydia.

"_What do I want?" the voice mocked, "I just want to watch you fail." This voice was a scruffy voice, but it sounded like many voices all in one. These voices made Jakus cry louder, trying to drown them out with his own._

It seemed as though he would never stop screaming, but he eventually did. The silence that followed the screaming was absolutely beautiful to Lydia. She had never taken care of a child, so the entire experience was new to her. The relief she felt after was also new; she felt as though losing this child was like losing her own.

* * *

><p>After everything that had happened, it was only natural for Jakus to rest quietly. He had experienced one of the worst things he had ever felt, but it wouldn't be the last. Soon after he fell asleep, the voices returned; but only the hissing one was heard.<p>

_'I'm...very...sorry...for...what...is...obviously...my...fault...' _it spoke. It sounded very sincere and worried for his safety. Jakus felt safer with this voice, even if it sounded like evil. He didn't like the other voice, which spoke with hatred towards the young lizard.

'What is the other voice that speaks to me?' he asked the hissing. 'You've revealed yourself, but it hasn't.'

'That... dear... boy... is... the... voice... of... your... Hist...' spoke the hissing. 'He... is... one... of... many... who... wish... to... see... you... fail...'

'But why? I don't even know what I'm supposed to do.' said Jakus, frustrated at the truth.

'He hates... all... Argonians...' said Sithis, disappointed that a Hist would hate it's soul.

* * *

><p>After a few days, Shinko came home. He came riding on a wooden cart. He looked like he had been drained of all rest, but relieved to be home. "I'm home!" he yelled as he pulled up to his home. He knew Jakus would be excited to see him, and he was right.<p>

"Yay!" squealed Jakus as he ran towards the cart. He hadn't seen Shinko in weeks, so the look on Shinko's face made him stop in his tracks. He was worried for his friend, so he asked him, "What's wrong?"

Shinko jumped from the cart, patting the horse' head. " Just tired from a long ride." he assured Jakus. He was hiding the truth; he didn't want Jakus to know the details that had happened in Riften.

"Good, it looked like you saw something horrible while you were away." spoke Jakus, who knew Shinko was hiding something. He started moving again towards Shinko who was opening his arms for a hug.

They embraced, arms around one another. Shinko shed a tear, but hid it from view. Being away from eachother made Jakus realize how much he needed Shinko. Shinko realized that his mother was right, he would make a good father.

They stopped hugging, but the pleasantries weren't over yet. "I got you a few gifts while I was away." Shinko said as he reached into the back of the cart. He then pulled out a burlap sack that was as big as Jakus' head. Jakus opened the sack and found a multitude of things; a little red ball, a book titled 'Talos' Journey to Argonia', and a dagger.

The dagger was strange; it was black with a red handle. It looked rugged, as though it had been used many times before. On the dagger's blade was an inscription that read, 'May this blade be used only in good intention, less to shame Sithis'.

"Wow!" Jakus said in amazement. He was most interested in the dagger, but was happy to see everything else as well. "This dagger is so cool!" he squealed as he put it into the light.

"I knew you'd like it." Shinko stated. "A merchant told me that an ancient Argonian used it during a battle with the Dunmer." He then watched Jakus' face become less happy as a look of sadness took over. "Oh... I'm so sorry... I forgot..." he said as he knelt down and looked at the sad lizard. "I've got a few more gifts that are sure to reverse that frown."

"It's fine..." Jakus said as he wiped tears from his eyes. "They'll be freed one day, for it is the will of Sithis." he stated as he raised the dagger again. Shinko looked toward the cart and raised from the ground.

Jakus watched Shinko pull from the cart two things; a large black bag and a cage with a sheet draped over top. Jakus grabbed the cage first and pulled off the sheet. What he saw within the cage was a kitten, fur greyer than a blind man's eye.

The cat sat in the cage, eying Jakus down. It saw that the boy was a gentle and good soul, so it started to pur. The kitten's purring was loud, but gentle. Jakus took the cat out of its cage and sat it in his lap. "I'll name you Lexia." he said as he pet the cat's head.


	9. Chapter 9: The Will of Sithis

**Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to any Elder Scrolls characters, just the ones that I make myself. (But some in game characters may make appearances)**

It was dark, Jakus felt cold and scared. "To... save... many... few... must... die..." hissed the voice in his head.

*BOOM* Struck the lightning outside Jakus's window. This loud crack of thunder woke Jakus from his slumber. "Ugh..." he grumbled, still tired from the day he had. He looked down at the foot of the bed to make sure Lexia was still there. She was, so he lay his head back down. But, before he was able to drift off, he heard a loud yelling.

He recognized the voice; it was Shinko. He leaped out of his bed and ran towards Shinko's room. As he entered the doorway he froze. The sight before him was horrific; blood and entrails everywhere. He screamed aloud for it was as he feared; it was Shinko he saw lying upon the floor, blood pooling underneath.

"Sithis says that this is his will." spoke a voice. Jakus turned towards this voice to see a dark figure sitting upon the window sill. It was a man sitting in the frame, an Argonian man to be specific.

Jakus began crying, saddened by the loss if his best friend. The man in the window came inside and held the boy in comfort. "Why?" Jakus cried in confusion.

"Sithis believes this to be the way for you to succeed in your destiny." spoke the man. He felt just as Jakus did, sad for the loss of a good soul. "He wanted me to give you this." said the man as he handed Jakus a piece of paper.

The man suddenly jumped out the window; he seemed like he was in a hurry to leave. Jakus sat on the floor, paper in hand. His sobbing could be heard all throughout the house. "I never... even got to say... goodbye..." he said as tears rolled down his cheeks.

"J...Jakus..." murmured a voice. "P...Please be... good to yourself..." It was Shinko; he was using his last breathes to say his goodbyes. "I may n...not be able to.. see you... grow old... but atleast I got to... know you young..."

"Please don't go!" cried Jakus in fear of losing Shinko. "I don't want you to go!" He grabbed Shinko in his arms and cried on his chest. "I can't stand... to lose another friend..."

"It'll be alright... I'm sure you'll make many more friends..." Shinko said, trying to calm Jakus' tears. "You're young... and cute... anyone who wouldn't be your friend... is a fool..." Shinko said. "I... I love you..." he said as he let out a final breathe.

He was dead, cut down by one of Jakus' own kind. Jakus feared to read the letter given to him, but he read it anyways. It reads as follows, 'Join us for your destiny lies here'. The words of the letter were followed with a map, detailing where he must go.

"If I go... I can never come back here..." he sobbed. "I'll have to pack." he said as he looked around the room. One thing caught his eye immediately; the bag that Shinko was going to give him. The bag was on Shinko's bed, ready to be opened.

Jakus rose from the floor and walked towards Shinko's bed. He was hesitant to look in the bag, Shinko would get mad at him... if he were alive that is. Jakus didn't care at this point, he needed to know what was in the bag. His mind told him no, but his heart said that it is what Shinko would have wanted: so he went with his heart and grabbed the bag and opened it.

As soon as he opened the bag, his jaw dropped. Shinko had saved the best things for last; a ring, a fancy pen, a few books, and a note. The note was specifically for Jakus, he could tell by the way it was written.

"Dear Jakus, Happy Birthday, or at least I hope it's your birthday... Anyways, while I was gone to my mum's she gave me some things to give to you. In this bag are; my mother's wedding ring, the pen that my father used to write his famous novel, a copy of my father's famous novel, and this note.

My mother gave me these things because she said, 'A child needs stuff from his grandparents.' It seemed she really wanted grandkids."

Jakus stopped reading and began to sob, "I wish you had been my dad..." He sat at the foot of Shinko's bed for a few minutes before he started reading again.

"I hope you like the gifts, they're what's left of my family. But I guess not, because you're my family now huh. Well, I gotta cut this letter short, enjoy them gifts kid. ~Shinko"


	10. Chapter 10: Amber

**Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to any Elder Scrolls characters, just the ones that I make myself. (But some in game characters may make appearances)**

Soon after the death of Shinko, Jakus headed off; he was following the map that was given to him that night. The night sky was covered in clouds that were blacker than the darkest ink. The wind blew through the trees, causing every breeze to sound like evil whispers. The wind was the least of Jakus' worries, for he was alone walking in the dark with all that he owned; three iron daggers, a black Argonian blade, his clothes, the gifts from Shinko, and his fateful cat companion Lexia.

He walked his way through the forest on his own. Every step he took brought him closer to sadness. "I have to make it... for Shinko." he exclaimed as he walked. His steps were soft on the ground, making little to no noise.

As he walked on he reached a strange tree with scratch marks all over it. The tree was very large with a hole in the trunk. Within this hole was a family of birds chirping loudly. The marks looked fresh, like an animal had made them not even an hour ago. Jakus inspected this tree, looking to see if it bore fruit. His inspection did not last long, for Jakus heard a long and horrible howl.

It was a pack of wolves; malnourished and snarling before him. Jakus quickly jumped behind the tree out of the pack's view. He was scared, he made it this far, dying wasn't an option. He reached into his bag for one of his blades; he needed to be ready for a fight. As he pulled the blade from his bag, the wolves began to move towards him.

Jakus pulled the blade out and moved it, blade first, rushing to his right. The sound that followed was that of cutting flesh followed by a ghoulish howl of pain and suffering. He had stabbed one of the canine brutes right in the eye, this caused the hairy monster to squeal in agony at the pierced eye that in now had. It soon lay down and die.

Soon after the first had died, more were on their way. Jakus heard these evil beings coming so he reached in his bag and grabbed his other two iron daggers. He put one dagger in the grip of his tail and the other in hand. He suddenly jumped from the safety of the tree and struck a monsterous warrior's pose. But soon after, he blacked out.

* * *

><p>'So, I see you can fight.' spoke the evil Hist that Jakus had heard many times before. 'Who cares, you are but one Argonian; yet you intend to destroy an army.'<p>

'SHUT YOUR MOUTH!' yelled Jakis within his head. 'I will free them, and there's nothing you can do about it!'

* * *

><p>"Hello?" spoke a voice. This voice was sweet and young, not like the many voices Jakus had heard before. "Why you sleeping?" The voice was so sweet it made Jakus wake up.<p>

His eyes opened to find a girl. She was cute, blonde, freckles, and short. Jakus woke to see the cutest girl, hell, the only cute girl he had ever seen. "Wha?" he murmured in confusion. "Where am I?"

"You're in the forest silly." laughed the little girl. "My name's Amber." she said in the softest and friendliest voice.

"My name's Jakus..." said Jakus. He saw in her eyes beauty of which no being had ever seen. He felt like he could spend the rest of his life with her, and he had only just met her.

"Are you an Argonian?" asked the little girl. She must have never met one before, but that's not uncommon in the snowey land of Skyrim.

"Yes." Jakus answered. He serveyed his surrounding and found that he was where the wolves had attacked him. He was laying at the base of the tree with his bag still on his back. He immediately noticed something was missing, Lexia was nowhere to be found. He then looked at the girl and asked, "Have you seen a grey cat anywhere?"

"Who do you think brought me here?" she asked as the small grey cat poked its head from her dress pocket. "So, where do you live?" asked the sweet voiced girl.

Jakus' heart sank deep into his chest, choking him into tears. He had only just lost Shinko, so the wound had no time to heal. "I... I don't have a home..." he said as tears rolled down his scaly cheeks.

The little girl saw these tears upon the lizard's cheeks. She just met this new friend, so she had no idea what he had been through. "It's okay!" she said out of desperation, "You can live with me and my daddy!"


	11. Chapter 11: Love and Hate

**Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to any Elder Scrolls characters, just the ones that I make myself. (But some in game characters may make appearances)**

Standing before him was a girl; orange hair like fire, blue eyes like pools of the freshest water imaginable, a red dress much like a rose, and a smile that was warm and caring. She was beautiful in every sense of the word, and Jakus was that of the opposite; Scaly, long tail, sharp horns like that of a demon, feathers of the head, and teeth sharp as knives. All these described Jakus, but the girl saw past these features. This girl saw all that Jakus was on the inside, a kid who needed to be loved.

They sat under a tree, talking about who they were; Jakus kept a lot of his life secret, but gave the girl some information. 'My name is Amber.' she had told him when they had been introduced. They spoke for a while, but came into a bit of a Gridlock; Jakus had no home. The girl had reached a conclusion immediately after hearing the horrifying realization that her new friend was all alone; he would live with her and her family.

"Live with you?" he answered. "Won't your parents get mad?" He wasn't against living with his new friend; he just didn't want to be kicked out on his own again.

"Nah." Spout the girl, "Dad lets me keep all my pets, I'll just tell him I wanted a pet lizard hehe." They then shared a moment of laughter. They were not so different; only their outside appearances told different.

* * *

><p>( Outside of Windhelm : Three days before the death of Shinko Darto )<p>

Windhelm is known for its port. This is where many Argonian slaves enter Skyrim for trade. As such, they must be watched over by top officials; Dunmer knights. These are the fiercest of all Dunmer because they have a skill range that has gone unrivaled for centuries.

"We've got two stragglers." spoke a voice in the shadow of Windhelm's outside walls. The voice was referring to two young Argonians limping far behind a slave wagon. "They should be easy targets if they try and run… Just keep watch."

"Yes sir." affirmed a much younger voice. The young man then stepped from the shadow; it was none other than the Dunmer that Jakus had encountered at Whiterun. His armor was black, and so was his blade. He walked slowly; as not to cause the targets distress. "Forgive me…" he whispered. He then leapt back in shadow with a thrust of his blade.

The noise that followed the boys return to the shadows was one of a man in pain. "AAAARRGH!" This noise caused all nearby to look in the direction of the agonizing yell. This of course gave the stragglers a small chance to run; a chance that they took.

"I'm sorry father…" spoke the young Dunmer within the darkness. "It was either them, or you."

The silence that followed was broken by the sound of a man falling to the ground. The man fell from the shadows with a large hole in his chest the size of a blade. The man then coughed blood from his mouth and passed.

* * *

><p>( Two days later at the home of Amber and her father : In the kitchen )<p>

The home that Amber lived in was very small; two bedrooms, a kitchen/dining room, and small living room. The living room was furnished with a few chairs facing the direction of a fireplace. The kitchen had a medium sized table with four chairs; and in three of them sat Jakus, Amber, and Amber's father.

"So, what's your name and story kid?" asked the father. He was talking to Jakus who was a stranger in his home.

"My name is Jakus…" spoke the Argonian child. "I'm an escaped Argonian slave. I'm in your home because I seek refuge." he then sat with his head down in preparation for the 'no' that he knew was coming.

"Sure." spoke Amber's father. "My daughter gets to keep all her pets." He then smiled to affirm that he knew Jakus wouldn't be a pet. _'There's no reason I should say no…'_ he thought to himself. _'He seems like a nice kid, and I can't just let him go out on his own.'_


	12. Chapter 12: A New Face and A Wanted Man

**Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to any Elder Scrolls characters, just the ones that I make myself. (But some in game characters may make appearances)**

( The Eighth of Rain's Hand 4E 185 : Between Pinewatch and Helgen : two months after chapter 11 )

We rejoin our Argonian friend Jakus in the woods just near Amber's home. He is with Amber; but then again, they never leave each other's side. They are throwing a small ball back and forth between each other. They are laughing and having fun; unaware of what their day will be like.

"Try to catch this one!" yelled Jakus as he threw the ball to Amber. It flew threw the air, then was caught by Amber. This continued for a good ten minutes until Amber's father called for them.

"Kids!" yelled the father from the front door of the cottage. "Time for lunch!" Jakus and Amber then ran home for dinner, but were stopped at the door by a strange noise from the woods. It was like leaves rustling, but not from the wind. Jakus looked in the direction of the disturbance to see a familiar sight; an assassin of the Dark Brotherhood. He could tell that it was an assassin by the way the person was dressed. They were wearing the traditional Dark Brotherhood armor, only with a long cloak covering most of the armor.

Jakus became worried, but noticed that Amber and her father had not noticed the assassin. '_What do they want?' _he thought to himself as he walked inside. '_I thought I was doing all that Sithis told me…_'

( Later that night :Amber and Jakus' room )

That night; Jakus was unable to sleep. He stayed up waiting to see what the assassin he saw that evening wanted. He waited as long as he could, but eventually he fell into slumber. Soon after he fell into the clutches of sleep, he was awoken. He woke to see a burlap sack on his chest; small, and filled with things.

He sat up in wonder at what could be in the bag. '_It is either a gift, or something that could kill me._' he thought to himself. '_Guess I'd better open it._' He then reached into the sack and smiled. He pulled from the sack a sweetroll. It was warm, as though it were just baked moments ago.

He sat the roll down and reached in the sack again; this time he pulled out a scroll of paper. It was a note for him from the assassin. It reads as follows;

Dear Jakus, Sithis has sent me, Altra Sahide, to protect and care for you. But it seems that you have someone for that already. I will bring you things from time to time in order to assure your growth as our people's savior. Sithis has also told me that he will keep himself from talking to you. As for the Hist who gave you your soul, he is under watch, so he will no longer bother you.

~Your friend Altra Sahide

"I just hope this ends better than my last living situation…" he said to himself, remembering the short time he had with Shinko. "No reason to lose sleep over…" he said, laying his head down.

( The Tenth of Rain's Hand 4E 185 : South of Morthal within the forest 12:34 PM )

We turn or story now to a happy family south of Morthal living in a hunter's shack. They are a very happy family; a mother, a father, and a son. The parents are of Nordic blood, but not the son; for the son is of an ancient Elven race born of snow and ice. His name is Nelda; he is a seventeen year old snow elf who was orphaned at birth. His parents, Rick and Galaviel, adopted him because they are unable to have a child of their own.

Sitting at the doorway of the home, Nelda waits for his parents. Today they plan to hunt large game, Mammoth. "Come on, I'm ready to go nooow!" he yells in to them, impatient and ready to leave. Nelda loves hunting with his parents; it's really all he knows.

"We're coming!" yelled Rick. They were still packing for the trip; bows, arrows, and blades. "Giants are a factor that we must be ready for; we just want to be ready." he said as he joined the family at the door. "We ready to go?" he asked Nelda.

"Yep!" affirmed Nelda by grabbing his bow. Nelda's bow was not very special, it was a normal Elven bow; gold as the sun itself. He had been given the bow as a gift from a long dead friend.

(The Tenth of Rain's Hand 4E 185 : Falkreath, Gray Pine Goods 1:15 PM )

Today; Amber, her father, and Jakus are in Falkreath looking for supplies for a camping trip. Jakus was the one who proposed the idea of the trip, but Amber and her father where the ones who wanted this trip the most; they really wanted a way to get to know Jakus better.

"Alright, we need a few things," began Amber's father to the trader, "we need; twine for fishing, salt for cooking, and an axe for wood."

But, before the trader could begin looking for the items they requested, they were interrupted by a commotion occurring outside the shop. It sounded as though all the citizens of Falkreath had gathered to listen to whatever it was, because when they stepped out of the shop, the center of town was crowded with people.

Everyone was gathered in one area, listening to a very loud person. Amber and her father could barely tell what it was, but Jakus could hear just fine; it was a Dunmer knight. "I will only say this one more time!" spoke the man. "There is an outlaw in the area. He is a Dunmer knight by the name of Zekiev d'Morrowind. He is wanted for the murder of a Dunmer high official; if you have any information regarding his whereabouts, please contact us at…" but he was swiftly cut off by the sound of horns and a scream; "YAAAAAAGH!" his own scream. The man then fell to the ground, showing an arrow in his back.

"Bandits!" yelled someone in the crowd. "Run!" yelled another; and so they did. All those who were there to listen, ran for the hills in a desperate act of self preservation. Jakus saw what they were running from, and what he saw was not a pretty sight to behold; a group of bandits, iron clad and ready to fight, had appeared at the gates of Falkreath.


	13. Chapter 13: Blood and Fur

**Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to any Elder Scrolls characters, just the ones that I make myself. (But some in game characters may make appearances)**

( The Tenth of Rain's Hand 4E 185 : Falkreath, behind Gray Pine Goods 1:30 PM )

After the Dunmer Knight in Falkreath square had been shot down, a rainding party of bandits showed their heads to pillage. The worst part is; Jakus and Amber are helpless to stop, for they are just children. As it stands however; they are hiding behind Gray Pine Goods, trying their best to stay alive as Amber's father plans their inevitable escape. They are all sitting silently, waiting for any moment to flee. "I need you kids to be as silent as possible." he whispered to the children. "I'm going to scout our way out. Just stay put." He the stood up, sill crouched however, and sneaked away from the children.

'_I can't just sit here and wait for the bandits to get us…_' thought Jakus to himself, '_I need to help with the escape, Amber is counting on us to get out of here…_' Jakus sat there, contemplating the correct time to leave, but he was never very good at scouting. '_I need to do something… I can't just sit here; Cowards watch. Heroes act._' Jakus then stood up and reached into his knapsack, pulling his black Argonian dagger.

"A blade?" whispered Amber in confusion. "Dad said to stay here… You aren't really thinking about fighting, are you?" She sat there watching Jakus pull two more blades from his knapsack. She didn't want him to fight; but if he was going to, so was she. She then pulled a blade of her own out of her dress. "Wherever you go, I go."

Jakus nodded at Amber, and then readied himself for battle. Two blades in hand, and one in tail, he was ready for anything.

* * *

><p>( The Tenth of Rain's Hand 4E 185 : Near Talking Stone Camp 1:40 PM )<p>

We rejoin our friend Nelda, and his adoptive parents, near a giant's camp in the hold of Whiterun. The three hunters, whom we have only just been introduced to recently, are on the hunt to kill a mammoth. For those unfamiliar with mammoths; it is best that no one man take them on, lest they fall victim to giants who protect these creatures with all their strength. Nelda's family is not unfamiliar with giants and mammoths, they hunt them quite often. In fact, Rick's leather armor is made from the great furry hide of a mammoth.

"I see three mammoths, but no sign of the giants." yelled Rick from behind a rock. "Nelda, do you see anything?" he yelled toward another large boulder.

"No, the giants are at the fire. They don't seem to notice us." yelled Nelda from his hiding place behind a boulder. "Who gets first shot?" he yelled to his parents. He knew that he was going to be first to open fire upon the wooly giants, but he wanted his parents to tell him first.

"It's your first mammoth hun, you take the shot." spoke his mother Galaviel who was not to far from his current location. She was a very beautiful Nordic woman; blonde hair and the blue eyes of an angel.

"Right…" Nelda said as he grabbed his bow from his back. '_This bow will finally see its largest game yet…' _he thought to himself, '_Let's do this._' He pulled an arrow from its quiver; it was an Elven arrow, dipped in the poison of a Frostbite Spider. He pulled the arrow back with the string of the bow, carefully aiming it at a mammoth that was only a few hundred feet away. He took one steady breath, and then fired the shot straight at the mammoth's giant head.

* * *

><p>( The Tenth of Rain's Hand 4E 185 : Falkreath, roof of Gray Pine Goods 1:45 PM )<p>

Jakus has only been in a few fights, each one bloodier than the last. He knew that fighting was his strong suit, it had always been. So, in order to protect Amber, he climbed Gray Pine Goods to scout his first targets. He saw six bandits in the open, and two were below him; both were Orcish men with great swords. He saw that the other four were in front of the Jarl's longhouse.

'_I need to take these two out first…_' he thought to himself while looking down at the large Orc warriors that he would have to fight eventually. He crept towards the edge that the Orcs were standing under, '_They're right next to each other, so this should be easy._'

He then leapt down from the ledge, plunging his right blade into one of the Orc's necks. He swiftly removed the blade, covered in red blood from the massive toothy giant he had just skewered, and jabbed it into the second Orc's stomach. Both the large men fell to the ground, stabbed by a six year old lizard, and bled onto the ground beneath them. "You were defeated the moment you declared your aggression." he said to the two dead men lying before him in their own blood.

Jakus then looked up from the two men he had just slain, toward the Jarl's longhouse where the other four bandits were, and saw that they had not seen the cold blooded act he had just committed. "Time to take out the others." he said with a stern look upon his face. He then turned to his right, no doubt from the steps he had just heard, and saw Amber and her father. Amber's father was holding a bloody iron axe in his right hand, and a look of anger was shown on his face.

"I told you two to wait for me." whispered Amber's father. He wasn't happy; he had been defied after all. "Next time, do as I say. Now; I found a way out of here, so we should get moving."

"No." said Jakus in defiance, "The people of the town need us, we can't just run away." This must have struck a cord in the heart of Amber's father, because he smiled in agreement with what Jakus had said.

"You're right." said Amber's father, "We need to help everyone else escape. So let's get to it."

* * *

><p>( The Tenth of Rain's Hand 4E 185 : Talking Stone Camp 1:54 PM )<p>

The giants were upon them, surrounding all means of their escape. Nelda had no idea what went wrong; one minute they were hunting mammoth and now they're staring death in its face. Nelda was afraid of what could happen, but he wasn't going to flee from a fight. Rick was standing tall and ready to fight; battleaxe in hand a look of determination. Galaviel, adoptive mother of Nelda, was also ready to fight the giants that were threatening them.

"Nelda." spoke Rick to his son, "I want you to run away if things get to dicey."

"What?" questioned a confused Nelda, "But we never run from a fight, why run now?" He spoke truthfully; they didn't run when a pack of wolves encircled them, they didn't run when the cave bears they were hunting were being protected by a pair of Sprigon, they didn't run when bandit's attacked the home that they lived in, and they didn't run when Draugr attacked them last Frostfall.

"This is a fight I don't see us winning…" said Rick, "I just… I wouldn't be able to forgive myself if you died during a hunt." said Rick in a depressed voice.

"Son," began Galaviel "just do as your father says. If we don't make it home; we love you."


	14. Chapter 14: Dreams and Ambitions

**Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to any Elder Scrolls characters, just the ones that I make myself. (But some in game characters may make appearances)**

( The Tenth of Rain's Hand 4E 185 : Refugee's Rest 2:00 PM )

Refugee's Rest is one of Eastmarch's seediest locations to stay over night; it is a place of crime and hatred for all who stay. It is also where the Dunmer of Morriwind came to flee the eruption of Red Mountain in 4E 05. At this time however, there are very few people to even step foot here. One person who is here, is one of a good heart; Zekiev d'Morrowind, ex-Dunmer knight and current Argonian slavery abolitionist. He is here for one reason, to help end the slave trading of the Argonian people by the Dunmer.

Atop the tower of Refugee's rest sits the seventeen year old Dunmer. He is waiting for the next batch of Argonian slaves to come through the pass from Morrowind. He has been sitting atop this tower of hate for almost three days now; waiting and watching for any slave wagon to enter the Province of Skyrim. "I might as well get some sleep…" he said to himself, "If a wagon comes through, I'll hear it." He then began to nod off into smooth slumber.

* * *

><p>( In Zekiev's dream state )<p>

Zekiev rarely ever dreams, it is just how his brain works. But, when he does dream, it's usually a nightmare of things to come and things past. The dream he is having is no exception; this is an obvious nightmare. He is dreaming of a dark room; and at the center he sits, tied up with a sack over his head. All that can be heard is his crying while he waits for a fate most foul.

'Why am I dreaming of this?' he questioned his mind. 'This was so long ago, I thought I had gotten over this?'

'_Why?'_ cried the dream child. '_D…Daddy!'_

'Keep crying for him, he'll never come and help you.' he said to the younger version of himself. The child did not hear him, but his own heart did. 'He will only notice you when you become stronger than him.'

Suddenly, a strike of lightning boomed outside the room he was in; then all went pitch black. 'Your heart asks for peace,' began a hissing voice, 'But the first step to peace, is to learn how to forget…' FLASH, the scenery changed to a torture chamber full of half dead Argonians. 'You wish to free them, but you cannot accomplish this alone…'

'What do you mean?' asked Zekiev, wandering what the hissing voice meant. 'And who are you? Why are you showing me my memories?'

'In due time child, in due time… But for now, let go of this concept of freeing those under the foot of Dunmer; one child can only do so much…' hissed the voice. 'Now, when you wake up, I want you to do something for me…'

'What should I do?' asked Zekiev.

'FORGET!' yelled the hissing voice. FLASH, he wakes from his dream atop the tower of Refugee's Rest in a pool of sweat and tears.

He also wakes to see a person standing before him in the armor of an assassin. "Are you here to kill me?" asked Zekiev. "If so, be prepared for a fight."

The person then kneeled before him to show their non-aggression. "If I were here to kill you I would have done it." spoke the voice. The voice was the voice of a woman; it was stern, yet soft. "I'm here to give you this…" she said as she reached into a pocket. She pulled from the pocket a letter. "This is for your eyes only…" She handed it to him, and then turned opposite him. "Soon…" She then disappeared into a flash of smoke.

"I better read this letter…" he said as he opened the envelope the letter was in. The envelope was sealed with the mark of a hand. "Let's see?" he then read the letter.

_To Zekiev d'Morrowind, I am Altra Sahide. I am, at this moment, the leader of the Dark Brotherhood in Dawnstar. I am writing to ask you a favor; I need you to kill a certain Dunmer knight. I was assigned to kill him, but I have other affairs to attend to. I am sure that you know him, he trained you after all. That's correct; I need you to kill Oriil Vadhe.

He is currently hiding out in the Ratways of Riften. He ran there after a few bandits attacked him; apparently they didn't find him as comedic as he thought himself to be. If you complete this kill, we will pay you handsomely. We will also drop the hit on your head from the Dunmer Knights. Sound like a deal? I hope so.

~Altra Sahide

* * *

><p>( The Tenth of Rain's Hand 4E 185 : Falkreath, Jarl's Longhouse 2:00 PM )<p>

Jakus, Amber, and Amber's father came to Falkreath today to get supplies for a camping trip; but after bandits invaded, and killed a few people, they decided to stay. Now, it's up to Jakus and Amber's father to drive the bandits out. Jakus already killed two of the bandits, now only four remain. The remaining bandits are plundering the town of Falkreath, but two are watching the Jarl's Longhouse.

Jakus and Amber's father are preparing to take out the two in front of the Jarl's home. At the moment however, they are hiding at the side of the Falkreath barracks. "I can take the one on the left," began Jakus, "and you can take the big one to the right." He then grabbed his black Argonian blade from the ground. "This blade is all that I'll need to cut him short."

Amber's father nodded in agreement. "It's best this way. You stand a better chance against the High Elf anyways." He said as he grabbed his iron axe. "Are you ready?" he asked.

"Let's do this." Spoke Jakus, ready to cut those who threatened their lives. He then ran to the Longhouse and towards the High Elf bandit. "RAAAAAGH!" he yelled as he ran, warning the Elf of his intent. "THIS IS FOR MY FRIENDS!"

The High Elf jumped over Jakus into the air, and then revealed his sword. He then smashed the blade down trying to hit him, but missed the swift moving lizard. The blade sank into the ground, but he immediately pulled it out and swang.

Jakus dodged the Elf's blade, and then plunged with his own into the Elf's shin. "AAAAAARGH!" yelled out the Elf in pain from the black blade. Jakus pulled the blade out and jumped back to get away from the Elf's next attack.

"Insolent little fiend!" yelled the Elf as he swung his blade at Jakus. Jakus blocked the Elf's sword, knocking it out of his hand and to the ground. The Elf jumped for his sword, but was once again hit by Jakus; this time he hit the Elf's chest, piercing it. The Elf then smashed himself into the ground with a great thud.

Jakus moved quickly, removed his blade from the bleeding Elf and stabbed him again. He kept stabbing the elf until it was impossible for him to recover. After his relentless attack, Jakus stood and spit into the Elf's face. Then, with a face of pure hatred he spoke, "Such is the way of Sithis, dark and unforgiving."

**Wow, what a chapter eh? I hope you guys enjoyed reading as much as I did writing. Make sure to leave a review and keep on reading.**


	15. Chapter 15: Crash and Burn

**Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to any Elder Scrolls characters, just the ones that I make myself. (But some in game characters may make appearances)**

**Y'all better be ready for another action packed chapter, cuz here it is. Remember to leave a review.**

( The Tenth of Rain's Hand 4E 185 : Falkreath, Jarl's Longhouse 2:20 PM )

After Jakus had taken care of one bandit, it was Amber's father's turn to take one on. He had an axe, one that he had bought from the trader of the Gray Pine Goods in the town of Falkreath, and an Iron sword with the words "To my darling Cinder." The axe was given to him, Cinder, long ago by a beautiful woman that he once loved. He hadn't forgotten her name, or how he lost her.

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><p>( The Twelfth of Frostfall 4E 179 : Hjaalmarch Hold on the bank River Hjaal 11:15 PM )<p>

We bring ourselves to two people running; one with a young babe in his hands and a large sack upon his back. It was Cinder and his newborn child Amber. He was running with a woman named Ember, she had given birth not but three hours ago under the great moons of Nirn. What they were running from was a group of bandits who had spotted them during Amber's birth. What they wanted was apparent, slavery of a child for their own devious purposes.

"I need you to take Amber." Cinder said to Ember as he passed Amber from himself to her. "If anything were to happen to you two… I wouldn't be able to live with myself." He then stopped in his tracks, allowing Ember and Amber time to get far from the bandits. "I can't let the bandits get them, so I guess I'll have to fight them off." He spoke to himself in wait of the fight that was most surely ahead. He began looking in the sack he was carrying for a weapon. What he found was the Iron Sword that Ember had given him a few weeks ago. He pulled this blade from the sack and readied for the bandits.

Suddenly 'WHOOSH' screamed an arrow passing by Cinder's head. The arrow landed in the ground behind him. The arrow then exploded, knocking Cinder forward into the dirt below. As quickly as he had fallen, a man appeared in front of him. He then began to speak to Cinder, "We don't need you Nord. We only want the women you wish to protect…"

"I won't let you have them!" yelled Cinder as he tripped the man. It was a Dunmer dressed in leather with an Orcish dagger at his belt. Cinder then jumped from the ground and pointed his own sword at the Dark Elf that wished to do harm to him and his newly formed family. "Stand up and fight me!" The Dunmer then staggered to his feet and drew his dagger of Orichalcum from his leather belt.

"Hehehe, you really think you can kill me!" yelled the Dunmer as he swung his blade at Cinder. Cinder saw this coming and back stepped from the Dunmer's attack while making an attack of his own. The Dunmer rolled out of the way of Cinder's attack and flung his dagger straight towards Cinder's face. Cinder moved out of the way the best he could, but was cut on the cheek in the process. He then threw his sword at the Dunmer, impaling him in the stomach through to the other side of his body.

The Dunmer then fell to the ground with a great thud. "AAAAAAARRRGH!" screamed the dark skinned bandit in agony from the blade in his torso. Blood spewing from his mouth he spoke, "You have bested me… But I never attack on my own… HAHAHAHAHA!"

Cinder then pulled the blade from the Dunmer. He then decapitated the Dunmer; causing blood to pool all around the dead man before him. "I don't care if there are more…" he started saying to the man, "I'll kill them all just like you; without mercy."

'WHOOSH' another arrow then flew by Cinder's head. This time the arrow hit the dead Dunmer, it then exploded the corpse into bloody chunks all over the banks of River Hjaal. "Be ready Nord, for we are here!" yelled a voice in the dark forest before Cinder. Cinder readied once again for battle; with blade in hand he would fight for those he loved and wanted to keep safe. The voice then presented itself as a bandit, followed by two others. One was an Orc man dressed in fur sporting red paint upon his face and an Orcish battleaxe in both his hands, the others were Nord men with blonde hair and leather armor with two Steel daggers in each of their hands.

The bandits were walking towards Cinder in a nonchalant manner. The two Nords, short as stumps, had smiles of pure insanity upon their faces as they showed their skill with daggers by flipping them around and playing with Cinder's mind. The Orc had a big toothy grin on his face with red glowing eyes. He was walking cautiously towards Cinder, but he was calm.

"So…" began the Orc to Cinder, "Me first, then Crash and Burn get their turns with you. Sound fair?" He asked as the little Nordic men dropped their smiles for faces of anger.

"How come we always go last?" asked the angry Nords in unison. The Orc then turned to the Nords with an angry glair on his face. "Yes boss…" they said as they started to sit on the ground. "At least we'll have a show before we get to fight!" they then started to laugh.

The Orc then took stance in front of Cinder, cracking his neck and spitting onto the ground. "Fair fights are my way, so I never throw the first swing." He then motioned for Cinder to bring all he had to him. So Cinder did what the Orc wished and swung his blade at the Orc's face, but the Orc was too quick to be defeated so easily. The Orc blocked Cinder with his axe, and then moved the axe towards Cinder with the quickness of an eagle. Cinder blocked most of the force of the Orc's axe, but ended up flying far into River Hjaal behind him.

Cinder then jumped out of the river and sprinted to the Orc, landing a blow to the Orc's shoulder. He then jumped back from the Orc as he swung his axe down. "You may be quick, but you're not as fast as me!" he yelled as he jumped in the air with his sword to the sky. Cinder then cut the Or'c head clean off his shoulders in a lightning fast act of anger. He then slammed the Orc to the ground causing the ground to shake beneath its giant green body.

The twin Nords then jumped towards Cinder with the full force of their daggers. Cinder dodged one, and then kicked the other to the ground. He then jumped back and yelled, "Damn fools, attacking at once!"

"Crash!" yelled the one on the ground. "Maneuver Eight!"

"Gotcha Burn!" yelled the other. They both then appeared right in front of Cinder, who then jumped back with a kick to Crash's face. This knocked Crash back to the ground; Burn was the only one standing now. Burn then ran towards Cinder with his daggers, but Cinder blocked the two blades; sending them flying from Burn's hands. Cinder then brought his blade down; cutting Burn's hands clean off and to the ground. He then kicked the stump of a man to his brother as blood flew from his hands and into the air.

After Burn fell, Crash jumped into action and to Cinder with tears in his eyes. But Cinder showed no mercy for the man as he swung. It was as though he was nothing to Cinder, but then again he was broken from seeing his brother being cut down. Cinder's blade went straight through Crash's neck like a warm knife through butter. Crash's body then fell to the ground, followed by his blood and tear covered head.

"Now to go find Amber and Ember…" began Cinder before being cut off by another arrow. This one hit its mark and went into Cinder's thigh. Cinder then fell to his knees in pain. He grabbed at the arrow and tried to pull it out, but to no avail.

"We will capture them at all costs, that is the will of our chief." Spoke a voice from the dark forest. "So don't try and stop us!"


	16. Chapter 16: Jatele

**Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to any Elder Scrolls characters, just the ones that I make myself. (But some in game characters may make appearances)**

( The Tenth of Rain's Hand 4E 185 : Falkreath, Jarl's Longhouse 2:22 PM )

Cinder's mind was off track from the bandit that he had to fight, but he was ready to fight nonetheless. He was remembering how he had fought for the lives of Amber and his once beloved Ember. The memories that he had were terrible; he remembered almost dying by the hands of an Archer. But, now was not the time to be remembering these things; it was time to finish off a bandit group threatening Falkreath.

He was crouched on the roof of the Jarl's Longhouse; ready to pounce on the target that Jakus had given him. His axe in one hand, and sword in the other; he jumped down to the bandit. The bandit was smart enough to know he was being attacked, so he moved enough out of the way from Cinder's attack to be safe. Cinder fell to the ground; slamming his axe in the ground.

Standing beside Cinder, the bandit spoke, "Foolish Nord, I knew you were going to jump." He then drew his own axe. "Now's my turn!" he yelled; swinging his axe at Cinder. Cinder then jumped back from the danger; throwing his axe as he landed. The axe missed the bandit and slammed into a tree nearby; exploding it into splinters and ash.

Cinder stood before the bandit; sword ready to strike. "This blade will strike true, just as it did many years ago!" he yelled, running to the bandit. His attacks were fast, but not fast enough to hit the bandit. He hacked at the bandit, but never hit him. The bandit was eventually backed into a corner of the Jarl's Longhouse; but that wouldn't stop him from dodging as he jumped to the roof.

Cinder looked at the bandit from below with a look of anger. "Surely that isn't all you have?" mocked the bandit from the roof. Suddenly, Cinder was right in front of him on the roof. "Eh?" questioned the bandit as Cinder cut his arm off. The bandit then began jumping in agony at his lost limb. "MOTHER FUCKER!" he yelled as Cinder kicked him back to the other side of the longhouse. The bandit fell from the roof and hit the ground below; causing dust to cloud around him. He rolled on the ground in pain, then stood up; axe in hand and anger upon his face.

Cinder jumped from the roof to the bandit, this time plunging his sword into the bandit's stomach. He then pulled the blood covered blade from the bandit; cutting the bandit many times on the chest. Then, with the motion of an executioner, he cut the bandit's head off. Cinder stepped back and let the body fall to its knees. 'WHOOSH' screamed an arrow past Cinder's head. The arrow hit the ground nearby, exploding the ground to dust. Cinder knew who shot the arrow and yelled, "Jatele!"

( The Twelfth of Frostfall 4E 179 : Hjaalmarch Hold on the bank of River Hjaal 11:45 PM )

After Cinder had defeated four of the bandits, one took him down. The man was a Wood Elf Archer; he had shot Cinder in the thigh, immobilizing him. The Elf had moved off from Cinder and towards Ember and Amber's far off location. There sat Cinder upon the bank of River Hjaal; crying that he could not do more for his family. He kept trying to pull the arrow from his leg, but it wouldn't budge. "What am I going to do?" Cinder asked himself. "I have to do something or else…" he paused, and then shook his head. "No, that won't happen." Cinder then, with the strength of a giant, pulled the arrow from his thigh. He stood up, and looked south to where Ember ran. He grabbed his blade from the ground and held it to his heart; he then spoke, "My love is stronger than his arrow, and so I shall show him that strength.

He then ran south; stopping for nothing on his way to his love. But, as he arrived near Orotheim, he saw it; the blood drenched body of Ember; she had been shot many times by arrows, and showed no sign of being alive. Cinder knew who did this, but did not care; he wanted to know where his child was. He walked to Ember, tears rolling from his eyes like twin waterfalls. He stood at her side, and wept for his love.

"I swear that I will avenge you Ember, or my name is not…" he began, but he was soon interrupted by the cries of Amber. He looked towards the cries to see the Elf, holding Amber in his arms. His face then flushed, and he soon feared what was surely to come. "Give me back my daughter!" he yelled as he ran to the man. He soon stopped, for the man pulled a blade to the babe's neck.

"Jatele is my name, and I do not negotiate with weaker men." He said, grinning like a mad man. "If you want her back, you'll have to pay for her!"

"Pay?" questioned Cinder, "I'll pay whatever it takes, just give me my daughter!" he said, laying down his sword. "I don't have a lot… But, I'll give you all I have!" he said as he reached into his sack. He then pulled a coin purse from the sack, holding it out for the Elf. "There's twenty-five hundred septims in all, please take it."

( The Tenth of Rain's Hand 4E 185 : Falkreath, Jarl's Longhouse 2:28 PM )

Cinder had just defeated his assigned bandit, but was now facing another. He was now facing the bandit that had killed the love of his life, Ember. His blade was dripping blood from its tip, and soon it would have more blood upon it. Cinder was angry, his face red as a tomato; he didn't think he would have to see Jatele again, but he knew he would have to kill him. "What do you want?" Cinder asked Jatele; his blade was drawn and ready to fight.

With his bow drawn, Jatele spoke, "The chief told me to make sure nobody stopped our plans." He then fired an arrow at Cinder, but Cinder moved out of the way and let the arrow strike the ground.

Cinder then started to sprint to Jatele; blade in front for striking him down. As Cinder started to get closer, Jatele began firing his arrows. Cinder dodged each arrow from the flurry that Jatele fired. Once Cinder got close, he jumped straight into the air. Midair, Cinder tightened his grip on the hilt, and then plunged his blade into the ground. The ground then exploded creating a crater where Jatele once stood.

Arrows then started flying at Cinder from the East. Jatele had dodged Cinder, and now was far enough away for his bow to be useful. The arrows were still ineffective because Cinder was dodging them with the swiftness of a slaughterfish. Cinder watched Jatele fire each arrow; he also watched as Jakus began sneaking toward Jatele. 'Kid knows when to strike…' he thought to himself, 'we might just beat him.'


	17. Chapter 17: Sylgred

**Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to any Elder Scrolls characters, just the ones that I make myself. (But some in game characters may make appearances)**

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><p>( The Tenth of Rain's Hand 4E 185 : Falkreath 2:32 PM )<p>

Who is this man Jakus was sneaking up on? He held in his hand a bow of wood and an arrow drawn; the arrow was pointed at Cinder, who was hiding behind a boulder. He was waiting for Jakus to attack the man with the drawn bow. Cinder knew the Archer as Jatele; he had seen the man where his wife had died. He held a grudge against Jatele for six years, and now he had his chance for revenge. 'Talos guide me as I kill this evil man.' Cinder prayed. Cinder grabbed his sword in preparation of battle.

Jakus crept slowly up the hill towards Jatele, three daggers ready to strike. As he got even closer, he tightened his tail's grip on his Argonian dagger. The feathers purple feathers on his head stood up and his black scales shuddered. He then jumped to Jatele, cutting his face as he jumped to try and save his head. That wasn't Jakus' last strike, for he began a barrage of stabbing at Jatele. Jakus was quick, getting in over thirty cuts, but Jatele was fast enough for none of them to be fatal.

Then Cinder joined the fight, swinging his sword at Jatele as fast as a fleeing fox. Jakus and Cinder's attacks were fast enough to make Jatele get exhausted and contemplate fleeing. Just as Cinder was about to strike a final blow against Jatele, Jatele jumped to the sky. He then drew an arrow and fired at Jakus and Cinder. The arrow struck the ground, causing an explosion that knocked them both backward and to the ground. Jatele came back to the ground and drew a dagger from his belt; it was black as night and ready to strike. He then ran to Jakus.

"The child dies first!" he yelled as he sprinted to Jakus. "PREPARE FOR DEATH!" he yelled as he sliced his blade at Jakus; cutting from his brow, down to his cheek, over his right eye. Jakus flew back, blood dripping from his face. He started rolling around in pain; only catching a slight glimpse of Cinder fighting Jatele. He was unable to get up, the pain was just too much for him to handle.

'It hurts so much…' Jakus thought to himself as he started to pass out. 'Cinder, you can do this…'

Cinder was trying his best to try and take out Jatele, but all he could think about was Jakus. 'Hang in there kid!" he yelled as he punched Jatele in the face. He kept punching Jatele, trying his best to knock him out. Each punch was effective at making Jatele stumble; Cinder even knocked his blade out of his hand. Jatele was getting dizzier, from each punch, Cinder then sealed Jatele's fate as he threw the strongest punch to Jatele's stomach; causing the man to fly back a few feet and roll on the ground.

Cinder then ran to Jakus, who was already passed out from the pain. Cinder picked Jakus up and looked at his face. He saw a great cut over his eye and said, "Looks like it'll leave a scar. I should probably doctor it up." Cinder then ripped one of Jakus' sleeves of his shirt, cut it into peaces, and used the cloth to cover the cut. Cinder then turned to where he had knocked Jatele, "I should probably make sure he's dead." He said as he sat Jakus down.

Cinder started to walk to Jatele, he noticed that the man was trying to crawl away. He drew his blade; ready to kill Jatele where he lay. As he came up to Jatele, the man started to speak, "Guess you finally get your revenge for what I did to your wife." He then began to laugh, "Just like her, I'm trying crawl away in fear…" He then paused, grinned, and spoke again, "Now I'll begin to scream like she did! Aaaaaaaaah, Cinder, help m…" Cinder stopped the man's hurtful words with one last strike; he stabbed Jatele in his chest.

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><p>( The Thirteenth of Rain's Hand 4E 185 : Riften, Front Gate 12:05 AM )<p>

Zekiev had no idea why he was in Riften; he may have been told to come here, but that doesn't mean he had to. He was a solitary person; he had always gone where he wanted to, taking orders only from the Dunmer Knights above him. He stood at the gate of Riften, wandering where the "ratways" were. Noticing that he was lost, a guard walked up to him. "You lost kid?" she asked; her voice was sweat and sincere, just like a mother. "Don't worry, most newbies get lost as soon as they enter. I got lost the first time I moved here. I eventually got used to it."

"I see…" he said. "Do you know where the ratways are?" he asked the woman. "I'm meeting an old friend there." He waited for his answer, but saw that the guard was a bit surprised; even if her helmet blocked the expression that Zekiev knew she had.

"Why the ratways? It's no place for handsome young man like you. Most prefer to stick to The Bee and Barb. I'm sure that the person you're looking for is there." She said, trying to keep Zekiev from going to the ratways. She knew that it was a dangerous place; a place that no sane person should ever go. "Come with me, I'll show you there; Keerava and Talen-Jei should have an open room, you can stay there and wait for your friend." she said as she grabbed Zekiev's arm. He followed her to The Bee and Barb voluntarily. "By the way, my name's Sylgred."

As Sylgred and Zekiev entered The Bee and Barb, they were greeted by the angry yelling of an Argonian Woman, "I told you guards a thousand times, weapons stay at the door." She was of course referring to the steel greatsword on Sylgred's back. Sylgred complied to the woman's yelling and put her sword at the door. "Good… So how can I help you!" she said, waving the two to the counter.

Sylgred and Zekiev walked up to the counter, thirsty for some mead. Sylgred then removed her helmet, revealing her beautiful face and hair. She had brown eyes, a button nose, and long blonde hair. Zekiev was surprised; he thought she would look tougher; she was a guard after all. "We'll take two Cliff Racers." She said, laying a purse of gold on the counter.

The woman reached under the counter and pulled out two flagons of the requested drink. "If you need anything else just ask." She then leaned in to the two and said, "So why are you here in town, Knight?" Zekiev's face changed to a look of fear; how did she know that he was a Dunmer Knight? Zekiev moved his hand to his blade, he figured this Argonian woman had a grudge, might as well grab his weapon. "No need to grab a blade kid, I don't want any trouble." She said, "I do, however, know why you're here."

"Where is he?" Zekiev asked.

"He's in the ratways in Time's corner." She began, "The entrance is blocked by other knights, and he's being guarded by some as well. The entrance guard switch out is at eight in the morning, I suggest waiting till then." She then stood back up and said, "Rooms are ten gold each night sir."

Zekiev reached into his pocket and pulled out an orange purse of gold, "Here's 200; keep the change."


End file.
